Defending champions Leinster scored three tries in the first half as they blew away the Scarlets with a 32-7 victory at Parc y Scarlets in the Heineken Cup.

Despite flying to a 22-0 lead in just 29 minutes, they were only able to secure the bonus point nine minutes from time, through flanker Sean OBrien.

Shane Horgan scored a great try early on, followed by Gordon DArcy and Shaun Berne. Berne, playing in the absence of Jonny Sexton, provided 17 of his teams points against the previously unbeaten Scarlets.

The hosts, missing the injured Mark Jones, Matthew Rees and Dafydd Jones, struck back in the second half with a try by Jonathan Davies, but their misery was compounded by having a player yellow carded.

Leinster have now bolstered their chances of reaching the quarter finals after they had earlier lost to London Irish in Dublin before getting things back on track against Brive.

Coach Michael Cheika was relieved that his players didnt pay the price for complacency in the second half after they had shot out the blocks in the first.

"I was pleased with the first half and the result," said Cheika. "But we gave them too much of a look-in in the second half."

"When you play like we did in the first half you have just got to keep going. It worked out in the end. We want to make sure we eradicate that second-half performance and that mindset before Dublin next week," he added.

I thought Leinster wing Isa Nacewa was sensational in the first half, and the stars of Leinster all shone with Kearney, Heaslip, O'Brian, Cullen, Reddan and stand in stand-off Shaun Berne all putting in international standard performances in team that looked strong from 1 to 15.

Leinster were really impressive, playing quickly with precision and giving a masterclass on how to attack the inside shoulder of the flailing Scarlets defence.

Great game, great result. I think the defending champions have got the bit between their teeth now. The Scarlets should be worried about their trip to the RDS next week!

Does anyone think that all the talk that the commentators kept saying about Jonathon Davies is a bit...unwarranted? They were going on about him as if he was the best thing since sliced bread, whereas I only saw him score the try(a missed tackle) and make one good tackle on McLoughlin. I barely even noticed him for the rest of it.